EasyCard Taiwan: Where to Buy, Top Up and Get a Refund

Last verified 24 Oct 2026

Key facts

Most visitors need the ordinary card, which is aimed at the general public. Student and concession cards are for eligible holders only. Co-branded bank cards are sold by the issuing banks.

Where to buy

The ordinary card is sold at:

• Information counters at Taipei, Taoyuan and Kaohsiung MRT stations.
• 7-ELEVEN, FamilyMart, Hi-Life and OK convenience stores.
• EasyCard Corporation service centres.

At Taoyuan Airport, EasyCard lists sales and top-up machines at Terminal 1 and Terminal 2, run at the Kuo-Kuang bus sites. If you are arriving by air, see Taoyuan Airport to Taipei for the airport rail options before you plan your first ride.

Taoyuan Metro counters sell the ordinary card only.

Top up step by step

1. Hand cash to the clerk at an MRT information counter or a convenience-store till and say how much to load. Any amount is accepted (Kaohsiung MRT counters take NT$100 steps).
2. Or use a top-up machine at a Taipei MRT station and insert cash in NT$100 steps.
3. Or use a single-journey ticket machine that has a top-up function, which has no fixed-amount rule.
4. Keep the balance under NT$10,000, the card’s stated limit.

The top-up page lists convenience stores showing the EasyCard logo. Look for the logo at the till.

What it works on

EasyCard’s scope-of-use page lists these transport categories:

• MRT
• Buses
• Taiwan Railway
• Taiwan High Speed Rail
• Taxi
• Ferry
• Public bicycles (T-Bike)
• Parking

It also covers supermarkets, shops, and food and beverage outlets. The page does not name YouBike, and it gives no list of convenience-store chains for payment, so ask at the till if you are unsure. The page has a county and city search for local coverage.

For the Airport MRT, see the airport guide, which covers fares and card options on that line.

Fares, discounts and payment alternatives

The ordinary card is billed at full fare. The Taipei Metro pages checked do not state a flat EasyCard discount on single trips, so this guide does not promise one.

Taipei Metro has a separate monthly reward for frequent riders with stored-value cards. The Chinese-language page says it pays 5% for 11 to 20 trips in the previous month, 10% for 21 to 40 trips and 15% for 41 or more. It excludes tourist tickets and credit-card payments, and the page does not mention foreign visitors, so most short stays will not benefit.

Taipei Metro’s English ticket page lists three kinds of stored-value card: EasyCard, iPASS and iCASH. It also says bank cards and phone wallets can be used. If you only ride a few times, check that page and decide whether a card is worth it. For a visitor planning a full trip, see first time in Taiwan.

iPASS is the other main stored-value card. This guide could not verify iPASS’s own website, so check the operator before relying on it.

Refund before you leave

The refund page is strict, so plan ahead.

• The balance is not returned except when you terminate use of the card. The card is locked at that point and cannot be used again.
• Refund amounts over NT$1,000 are not handled on site. You must apply online through the EasyCard website.
• Refunds of NT$3,000 or more are not paid in cash. They go by bank transfer to the cardholder’s own account.
• A handling fee applies under the terms of use. The page gives no amount, so ask before you hand the card over.
• Refund places include Taipei, Taoyuan and Taichung MRT information counters and the EasyCard service centre at Taipei City Hall Bus Station. Registered mail to EasyCard’s office in Nangang, Taipei is also listed.

The simple approach is to load small amounts and spend the balance on transport or at a convenience store before departure. Do not top up large amounts you may not use.

Common mistakes

• Loading NT$1,000 or more “just in case”, then needing a refund that cannot be done at the counter.
• Assuming a fee-free refund. The page confirms a fee exists but not how much.
• Staying in the gates too long. The metro charges NT$20 if a trip exceeds 15 minutes at the same station or 2 hours between different stations.
• Expecting every shop to take the card. Look for the EasyCard logo.

Prices, limits and rules change. Check easycard.com.tw before you fly, or call 412-8880 (add 02 from a mobile phone).

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